FIU takes on rival Florida Atlantic in a three-game series this weekend at Infinity Insurance Park. The series begins Friday at 7 p.m. The middle game is Saturday at 6 p.m. and the series finale is Sunday at 12 p.m.
Last season FAU took all three games from FIU in Boca Raton in late April. Overall, the Owls lead the all-time series with the Panthers, 62-48. The series began in 1981.
FIU (21-24 overall) enters the weekend tied with Western Kentucky for seventh place in the Conference USA standings at 10-11. FAU (30-13-1 overall) is in third place at 14-6-1. The Panthers and Hilltoppers play next weekend in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The top eight teams qualify for the Conference USA tournament which begins May 24 at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi.
FIU took two of three games from Marshall in league play last weekend. The Panthers won the series opener, 15-0, and the series finale, 9-5. The Thundering Herd won the second game of the series, 6-5.
For the second straight week, FIU has a Conference USA Player of the Week.
After
Andres Nunez won the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week (April 23), second baseman
Eddie Silva earned the C-USA Hitter of the Week honor last week by hitting .600 with four home runs and 12 RBI. Silva also won the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honor as well as College Sports Madness's C-USA Player of the Week.
FIU continues to lead C-USA with 57 home runs. FAU is second with 49 long balls. The Panthers are second in slugging percentage (.451) to Southern Miss (.459).
Silva leads the conference with his 12 home runs and is second in slugging at .695.
Jose Garcia (11 HR) is tied for second and
Austin Shenton (9 HR) is tied for seventh. Garcia is fifth in slugging at .592.
FIU pitchers lead the league with 434 strikeouts. The Panthers are the only team with three pitchers in the Top 15 in strikeouts.
Logan Allen is tied for fifth with 74.
Nick MacDonald is tied for ninth with 63 and
Andres Nunez is 11
th with 58.
FIU (.283) is fourth in hitting in C-USA while FAU (.268) is 11
th. The Owls are fourth in ERA with a 3.84 mark. The Panthers are seventh at 4.63.
Owls closer Zach Schneider is tops in C-USA with 13 saves.
